Meta is offering creators with large TikTok followings bonuses ranging from $10K to $50K per month to post videos on Instagram Reels before other platforms

Instagram is leveraging TikTok's temporary absence from app stores by offering significant cash bonuses to creators who exclusively post Reels on its platform, according to a report from The Information. These bonuses reportedly range from $10,000 to $50,000 per month, with the stipulation that creators upload their short-form videos to Instagram before sharing them on other platforms like TikTok.

Meta has previously increased payouts to attract creators in its competition with TikTok. However, such incentives have historically been short-lived. In 2021, Instagram introduced a Reels bonus program, but by 2022, creators reported significant reductions in payments, and the program was discontinued entirely in 2023.

The renewed bonus offerings come at a turbulent moment for TikTok, which has faced disruptions due to compliance with the federal divest-or-ban law enacted on January 19th. Although TikTok began restoring service in the U.S. on Sunday, it has yet to return to app stores. President Donald Trump also issued an executive order delaying the ban.

In the past week, Instagram has introduced several updates aimed at appealing to TikTok creators. These include switching profile grids from squares to rectangles and extending the maximum length of Reels to three minutes. Additionally, Instagram head Adam Mosseri revealed that the platform is developing a new video editing and creation app to compete directly with CapCut, the video editor owned by TikTok's parent company, ByteDance.

Despite these efforts, some creators remain hesitant to migrate to Instagram due to dissatisfaction with Meta’s recent policy shifts and its perceived attempts to align with the new administration's priorities.